An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 83

83. #17 – Surviving is Winning in the End (5)

The day after the payment landed in my account.

The first place I headed to with my fattened bank account…

Was none other than HS Entertainment, who had made the deposit.

“What is it? Hee-sung, what brings you to the company?”

Chief Kim stared at me with a shocked expression, as if he had seen a ghost.

I smirked at him.

“Don’t tell me… you’re here to look at scripts again?”

I didn’t say anything, but he must have known instinctively, as he immediately frowned.

I burst into laughter at his reaction.

“Haha, no. I came to see you, hyung [older brother or close male friend],” I said, using a Korean honorific.

“Me?”

He pointed at himself with a surprised look.

I smiled at Chief Kim and nodded.

Soon, I was on the rooftop terrace with Chief Kim.

We each had a cup of coffee in hand and took our seats on the terrace.

“Wow, this place is always great, no matter when you come.”

A refreshing breeze blew.

The terrace, which was well-maintained and considered the pride of HS Entertainment, was lush with flowers and small trees.

The sound of the grass rustling in the wind was enough to make you forget you were in the middle of the city.

“Yeah, it’s a healing place to come to when you’re having a hard time or feeling exhausted.”

He took a sip of his coffee and said.

“It’s strange. I’m stressed out because of work, but I’m healing at the company…”

I turned to him and asked.

“Does that mean… you’ve been stressed out because of me while working?”

He burst into laughter.

“Haha, would I be stressed working with you?”

He laughed brightly and said no.

But even if you’re with someone you get along with, I know that if it’s ‘work,’ there will be times when that’s not the case.

Chief Kim had been running non-stop with me.

There must have been times when it was tough.

I smiled at his words and replied.

“Hyung, thank you for always taking care of me and helping me.”

“Hey, it’s my job. No need to be so formal.”

“Still. Even if it’s hyung’s job, there must be times when it’s hard.”

He put his hand on my shoulder.

“I’ve dealt with a lot of celebrities with terrible personalities. If I were a manager for a celebrity like you, I could do it forever. Haha.”

The corners of his lips were slightly raised.

And his wide eyes showed sincerity.

I was even more grateful.

No matter how much I acted without rest and rose to the top.

It wouldn’t have been easy without someone taking good care of me by my side.

He and I leaned against the railing and simultaneously turned our gaze to the sky.

“When I first came to HS Entertainment, I liked this place the most. It’s still so nice…”

We felt the wind and sipped our coffee in silence for a long time.

As time passed and the coffee in our hands cooled down.

Chief Kim turned to me and asked.

“By the way, why did you come to the company today?”

“To see hyung.”

I told him again why I came to the company, but he glared at me with suspicious eyes.

I chuckled at his expression.

“I really came to see hyung.”

Then Chief Kim, with a suspicious look, asked.

“Are you bored at home?”

For a moment, I frowned as if I had been hit right on the mark.

“Well… suddenly, I have so much time to rest, I don’t know what to do.”

“Really?”

It was the honest truth, without a hint of lie.

After coming to Seoul to pursue acting, I had never had a chance to rest leisurely.

On days when I didn’t have a role, I had to work to make a living.

And on days when I got a role, I would immediately run to the set.

Moreover, after joining HS Entertainment, I was always busy looking for new scripts as soon as drama or movie filming ended.

I had been running for a long time, throwing myself into the field without even taking minimal rest.

I realized that I didn’t know what to do besides acting or practicing.

So, I thought of Chief Kim.

“You should meet some friends, go shopping, or have a drink.”

I shook my head vigorously at his words.

“You know. I don’t have many friends in Seoul.”

He nodded at my words.

“Then go back to your hometown and see your parents. If you rest now, you won’t have time to go when you start acting again.”

“I’m planning to go back to my parents’ house soon anyway.”

Then I turned to him, looked into his eyes, and asked.

“By the way, what are you doing today, hyung?”

“Today… nothing special. I just need to finish up some work at the company.”

“So, I’m resting until I start acting again?”

He shook his head at my words and frowned.

“I wish I could, but… I have to fill in for other celebrities’ managers starting tomorrow. The company won’t let me rest while paying my salary.”

Chief Kim shrugged his shoulders.

“Why?”

“Then let’s have dinner together tonight.”

“Let’s do that.”

With that answer, I looked at my phone and smirked.

“I got paid yesterday… I’ll buy you something delicious, hyung.”

“Haha, great.”

“Should we have a drink too?”

He smacked his lips and smiled.

“That’s even better. I’ll have to leave the car at home.”

***

The walls were decorated with light wood.

The high bar chairs we were sitting on.

In front of us was a long counter, and inside, a chef wearing a white chef’s hat was preparing food.

“You’re Jin Hee-sung, who made the reservation for today, right?”

I smiled and nodded at the employee’s words.

“Yes, we’ll prepare the omakase [chef’s choice] course right away.”

“Thank you.”

Chief Kim leaned towards me and quietly opened his mouth.

“What is it? I thought we were just going to eat something light. Omakase. This place is incredibly expensive.”

I reached out to him and whispered.

“It’s okay, hyung. I got paid this time.”

He quickly searched for the restaurant’s name on his phone.

“Heol [Wow]!”

He opened his mouth wide.

“Hee-sung, this place is too expensive.”

“You worked hard throughout the drama filming. I wanted to buy you a nice meal to thank you.”

“Hey, that’s what I’m supposed to do. This place is too expensive…”

I interrupted him.

“Let’s just say you’re a friend who’s hanging out with me today.”

He laughed as if he couldn’t help it at my jest.

“Ugh, okay. Anyway, I’ll enjoy the meal.”

“Haha, let’s eat quickly.”

Several pieces of sushi were served in succession.

And a cold draft beer was placed in front of Chief Kim and me.

“Keuh [Exclamatory sound], the tuna is so melt-in-your-mouth, it disappears.”

“Yeah. It’s really delicious.”

Chief Kim and I didn’t fail to exclaim with each piece we ate.

“It’s definitely worth the price. I don’t think I’ve ever had such delicious sushi before?”

He shook his head and exclaimed.

And our glasses clinked briefly in the air.

“So, Hee-sung, what are you going to do now?”

“Hmm… I don’t know.”

“You’re not thinking of going back to work at the company, are you?”

Looking at his worried face, I smiled.

“Hyung, I’m thinking of buying a car this time.”

Chief Kim, with a surprised look, asked me back.

“A car?”

“Yeah, I’m going to get a domestic car.”

Chief Kim replied with a puzzled expression.

“No, just get an expensive one.”

“Why?”

“You have a celebrity image. It’ll look more high-class.”

I waved my hand in the air and said.

“Nah, it’s okay.”

Then I immediately erased the smile from my face and looked at him.

“Hyung, when the car comes out, help me practice parking.”

“You… can’t park?”

At Chief Kim’s words, I avoided his gaze and nodded slightly.

“I can’t do just… just parking.”

He burst into laughter.

I quickly pointed to the futomaki [thick sushi roll] in front of me.

“Wow! The futomaki is huge. Hyung, eat it quickly.”

Our meal was filled with laughter.

***

“That was really good.”

Chief Kim said, stroking his bulging stomach.

“I know. I feel bad for bringing hyung to such a nice place for the first time. Let’s come here often.”

He waved his hand at my words and replied.

“No, you should only come to places like this occasionally to enjoy it.”

“Then let’s come again when the next project is over.”

“Haha, sure. I’d love to.”

After quickly paying the bill, we left the restaurant.

“I want to have another beer. It’s a bit of a shame.”

Chief Kim said, looking at his wristwatch.

I shook my head.

“Hyung, you have to fill in for another celebrity’s manager tomorrow, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then let’s have another drink next time.”

His face was overflowing with regret.

Chief Kim also had to pick up a celebrity early the next day, so he seemed to be barely suppressing his feelings.

“I can’t help it.”

He said that, but Chief Kim’s feet wouldn’t move.

He quickly rolled his eyes.

“…Hyung.”

At that moment, I quickly took out a pre-prepared envelope from my inside pocket and handed it to him.

“This.”

“What’s this?”

Chief Kim tilted his head and looked at the envelope in my hand.

He frowned as he saw what was visible through the white envelope.

“No way, man.”

“Hyung, take it. I’m really grateful.”

Chief Kim shook his head violently as if his face was trembling.

I pushed the envelope into his hand as if to force it on him.

Then he pushed the envelope back into my hand.

“Hee-sung, I can’t work with you if I take this.”

Chief Kim’s words were not a lie.

His expression showed that he was really embarrassed by the money I had given him.

But I had no intention of taking this money back.

“Come on, hyung. Take it.”

This time, I snatched the envelope and stuffed it into his pocket.

“If I don’t take care of my manager, who will?”

“Still….”

I smiled as if to joke to Chief Kim, who was slurring his words.

“Hyung, just accept it since I can only give it to you when I have some money. I can’t give it to you every time? Haha.”

At my words, Chief Kim finally burst into laughter.

“Ah, you can’t give it to me every time? Hahaha.”

We eventually resolved the situation with jokes.

Nevertheless, Chief Kim took the envelope out of his pocket and handed it to me.

“Hee-sung, I’m really grateful for your kindness, but still, with the expensive meal we had today….”

Chief Kim kept refusing.

I refused Chief Kim’s words again.

“Hyung, I’m asking you to take better care of me in the future.”

Chief Kim’s hand paused at my words.

I handed him the envelope again and continued.

“Please, take good care of me in the future too.”

Soon, his eyes sparkled as if they were twinkling.

His eyebrows were bent long in a 역 팔자 [Korean expression for a face with downturned eyebrows, indicating sadness or being touched] shape.

He seemed to be more touched by the fact that I was thinking of him than by my words or money.

“Hee-sung, thank you.”

“I’m more grateful.”

Chief Kim put me in a taxi, saying that he had to send the celebrity first.

I waved to him as I got into the taxi.

“Hyung, go in carefully.”

“You too. Call me right away if anything happens.”

“Oh, I understand. Go home quickly, hyung.”

I smiled at his worried expression.

탁 [sound of a door closing].

The taxi door closed, and the car immediately stepped on the accelerator.

Only then did I lean back in my seat.

The first money I withdrew from my account today was 5 million won [approximately $3,700 USD].

I put it in an envelope without taking out a single 100 won [small denomination of Korean currency] and sent it to Chief Kim.

The balance decreased by 5 million won, but my heart was so full.

Is it possible to be this happy even after spending money?

I closed my eyes and smiled widely.

In fact, I wanted to give Chief Kim more if I could.

You can’t do everything with money, but you can express your gratitude.

And soon, the hand I was resting on my thigh naturally clenched into a fist.

I want to be more… more successful.

So, my heart was full of wanting to give more to the people around me and live my life.